Empirical assessment of individuals' 'personal information management systems'

. A simple pilot study has been undertaken to investigate the use of 'personal information management technologies' (including both traditional and emerging electronic technologies) via a combination of nominal questionnaire and semi-structured interview schedules. The pilot study suggested that the number of users adopting computer-based personal information management technologies is low, as is the combination of computer-based technologies with traditional paper-based technologies in users' 'personal information management systems'.     

Applying information technology to the presentation of emergency operating procedures: Implications for usability criteria

As a result of their increasing complexity, modern industrial systems have come to rely on written procedures for dealing with various emergencies that might be encountered. Despite the significant effort invested in developing emergency operating procedures, traditional hard-copy procedures have been found inadequate in presenting complex instructions, handling cross-references, tracing suspended or incomplete steps, and in general, monitoring user progress. Developments in information technology have presented new opportunities for resolving these problems in using and adapting procedures. This article reviews current developments and problems with computer-based procedures and proposes a framework for specifying usability aspects of their use. The usability framework addresses critical cognitive activities involved in managing system emergencies and draws upon empirical studies of 'official' and 'selective' uses of procedures in actual practice. Finally, information technology applications are considered within the wider organizational context, such as compliance with procedures, crew communication, and retention of skills.     

In-vehicle intelligent information technologies as safety benefit systems: Consideration of philosophy and function

Various technological solutions have been advanced to address motorist failings (e.g., sensory limitations, perceptual biases, fatigue, inattention) in the acquisition of safety relevant information. One goal of these systems is to improve traffic safety. Although the functional goal of these technologies is to serve as safety benefit systems, they are foremost information technologies. This paper reviews a number of fundamental issues which underlie the basic nature of these systems as informational services. From the discussion of the philosophy of these systems in relation to the meaning of 'information', a number of functional requirements and limitations of these systems are identified.     

Learning spreadsheets: human instruction vs. computer-based instruction

Abstract

The increasing need to instruct students in the use of personal computer software, especially electronic spreadsheets, is placing greater demands on the already full university curriculum. A potential help in meeting these demands is the readily available computer-based software tutorials. In order to explore the feasibility of computer-based instruction as an alternative to human instruction, this research compares two modes of instruction, computer-based and human. An experiment was conducted with groups of business student subjects. The research results indicate no difference in students‘ attitude towards computer-based instruction and human instruction of spreadsheets. Students’ short-term recall of the software syntax being taught is as strong with computer-based instruction as with human instruction. These results were not affected by the level of personal computer experience that students had prior to the experiment. However, the ability to comprehend and immediately apply the software to a task is greater with human instruction than with computer-aided instruction. This advantage holds true for students instructed by experienced and inexperienced instructors.     

Interaction styles and input/output devices

Abstract

We describe the Smalltalk Gurus, components of the MoleHill intelligent tutoring system for Smalltalk programming. The Gurus offer help on plans for achieving goals in the Smalltalk environment, as well as remediation for students' incorrect and less-than-optimal plans. The Gurus' assistance is provided via the multimodal media of animation and voice-over audio. MoleHill employs multiple Gurus to deliver advice and instruction concerning disparate information domains, thus facilitating learners' cognitive organization and assimilation of new knowledge and information. We have labelled the approach instantiated by the Smalltalk Gurus the guru instructional model, one which is generally applicable to computer-based advisory systems.     

Introduction to information systems theory: concepts,formalism and applications

An aim of the proposed information systems theory ?IST) is to build a bridge between the general systems theory's formalism and the world of information and information technologies, dealing with transformation of information as a common non-material substance, whose models in forms of computer algorithms and programs could be implemented to different material objects, including a human's thoughts and languages. A new approach to IST is based on a single concept and follows mathematical formalism that uses an information variation principle to build an information systemic model of a specific object. The problem's solution, procedure and methodology modelling are illustrated by the application of the information macrodynamics ?IMD), which reveals the system model's main layers: microlevel stochastics, macrolevel dynamics, hierarchical dynamic network ?IN) of information structures, its minimal logic, and optimal code of communication language, generated by the IN hierarchy, dynamics and geometry. The system's complex dynamics originate information geometry and evolution with the functional information mechanisms of ordering, cooperation, mutation, stability, diversity, adaptation, self-organization, the double spiral's genetics, the system's generation, decaying, and transferring information to other systems along with the information mechanisms of heredity and replication. The developed IMD's theoretical computer-based methodology and software have been applied to such areas as technology, communications, computer science, intelligent processes, biology, economy, management, and other non-physical and physical subjects with their mutual interactions, informational superimposition, and the information transferred between interactions.     

基于神经网络的定向口令猜测研究

文本口令是现如今最主要的身份认证方式之一,很多用户为了方便记忆在构造口令时使用个人信息。然而,目前利用用户个人信息进行定向口令猜测,进而评估口令安全的工作相对欠缺。同时,神经网络在文本序列处理问题上的成功应用,使得利用神经网络进行口令安全问题研究成为一种新的研究思路。本文基于大规模口令集合,对用户口令构造行为进行分析的基础上,研究用户个人信息在口令构造中的作用,进而提出一种结合神经网络和用户个人信息的定向口令猜测模型TPGXNN（TargetedPassword Guessing using X Neural Networks）,并在8组共计7000万条口令数据上进行定向口令猜测实验。实验结果显示,在各组定向口令猜测实验中,TPGXNN模型的猜测成功率均比概率上下文无关文法、马尔科夫模型等传统模型更高,表明了TPGXNN模型的有效性。     

The role of whole-body vibration in back pain: A cross-sectional study with agricultural pilots

ObjectiveA cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the role of whole-body vibration as a risk factor for spinal musculoskeletal symptoms among agricultural pilots.MethodThe study was conducted in two stages that included measuring the pilots’ exposure to whole-body vibration during the flight procedures and applying a self-administered questionnaire about musculoskeletal symptoms of the spine.ResultsNone of the four aircraft texted exposed the pilot above the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) established by the standards. However, in a few specific situations, two of them exceeded the Exposure Action Value (EAV). About 62% of the pilots who operated these aircraft reported some musculoskeletal symptoms of the spine in the last few 12 months.ConclusionUsing the data from this study, it was possible to calculate the odds ratio of the agricultural pilot suffering low back pain, based on eight personal and work-related factors.Relevance for the industryBased on the results of the present study, it was possible to define strategies to reduce whole-body exposure in agricultural aircraft and, consequently, improve the pilots’ health. Strategies included management of the exposure and aircraft improvement.     

Crossing the line: A field study of inhabited television

This paper reports on an ethnographic field study of 'Out Of This World' (OOTW, Benford et al. 1999) an experiment in 'inhabited television' combining broadcast technologies with a collaborative virtual environment in a live show. The study focuses on the work of producing OOTW and how personnel managed the manifold contingencies of working with complex technology. The use of a specially developed virtual camera control application is discussed together with the methods the director used for live editing views from cameras into a 'broadcast from virtual reality'. The challenges faced by the multiple professions involved (TV personnel, research scientists, actors) are documented and the viability of inhabited TV as a 'new medium' is assessed. Future technological refinements are briefly discussed along with some general implications for CSCW and 'media studies' of the work reported.     

Exploring Patients’ Use Intention of Personal Health Record Systems: Implications for Design

Abstract

Personal health record (PHR) systems offer a technology for personal health information management (PHIM) activities. Despite efforts to increase the use of PHR systems as a mechanism to support better patient-centered care and improve information management across the continuum of care, PHR adoption remains low. The purpose of this study was to explore how to design a PHR system that can adequately support personal health information management activities. Using a mixed-methods approach (questionnaires and interviews), we identified the factors affecting a person’s intention to use PHRs and also described the personal health information management activities among people from a wide age range in the United States. Results indicated that the intention to use PHR systems was affected by system-related factors, such as perceived usefulness, health information understandability, personalization, and patient–clinician communication support, and user-related factors, such as social influence, self-efficacy, and willingness to share. Furthermore, five types of personal health information management activities were found, including storage, organization, maintenance, retrieval, and sharing. Informed by the study findings, we developed seven design recommendations to improve PHR systems. Future studies can focus on further validating these findings using other methods and be based on larger and more representative PHR users.     

The Big-Fish–Little-Pond-Effect revisited: Do different types of assessments matter?

In large-scale assessments such as the PISA study, there is a current shift from traditional paper-and-pencil towards computer-based assessments of students' literacy in reading, math, and science. Thus, research has focused on examining the comparability of test scores and motivational factors across the different assessment types. However, it is currently unclear whether the negative effect of school-average ability on students' individual self-concept (i.e., the Big-Fish–Little-Pond Effect, BFLPE) is also robust against the shift in assessments. In the present investigation, we consequently evaluate the relations between math self-concept, school-average ability, and the type of assessment. Based on the Norwegian PISA 2012 data set (N = 4686), we employed multilevel structural equation modeling and found that (a) the BFLPE existed for both assessments with a slightly higher effect size for the computer-based assessment; (b) math anxiety moderated the BFLPE, whereas self-efficacy, the availability and use of information and communication technology (ICT) did not. Our results support the robustness of the BFLPE across the different assessments of mathematical literacy and point out that computer-based assessments involve similar social comparisons as traditional paper-and-pencil tests.     

Public attitudes toward voice-based electronic messaging technologies in the United States: A national survey of opinions about voice response units and telephone answering machines

Abstract

We surveyed 912 Americans in the Fall of 1993 about their attitudes toward voice response units (VRUs, also known as voice-based electronic messaging or Interactive Voice Response Units, IVRs) and telephone answering machines or devices (TAMs or TADs). We present data from a national survey to provide an empirical understanding of these novel and significant forms of technologically mediated interpersonal communications. Our results suggest that attitudes toward electronic voice response systems are less closely linked to demographic variables than are attitudes toward answering machines. We uncovered no evidence that the 'information rich' are more positively inclined to electronic voice response systems than the 'information poor'. We also found that attitudes toward the electronic technologies varied strongly by age. The most significant predictor of liking for electronic voice response systems was the quality of one's most recent experience with this technology. We conclude by considering some insights about the formation of attitudes toward these electronic technologies and argue that voice-based services could provide an important access modality to a wide range of electronically-delivered phone services.     

A socio-technical analysis of functional properties in a joint cognitive system: a case study in an aircraft cockpit

Abstract

In a socio-technical work domain, humans, device interfaces and artefacts all affect transformations of information flow. Such transformations, which may involve a change of auditory to visual information & vice versa or alter semantic approximations into spatial proximities from instruments readings, are generally not restricted to solely human cognition. This paper applies a joint cognitive system approach to explore a socio-technical system. A systems ergonomics perspective is achieved by applying a multi-layered division to transformations of information between, and within, human and technical agents. The approach uses the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM), but abandons the traditional boundary between medium and agent in favour of accepting aircraft systems and artefacts as agents, with their own functional properties and relationships. The joint cognitive system perspective in developing the FRAM model allows an understanding of the effects of task and information propagation, and eventual distributed criticalities, taking advantage of the functional properties of the system, as described in a case study related to the cockpit environment of a DC-9 aircraft.

Practitioner Summary: This research presents the application of one systemic method to understand work systems and performance variability in relation to the transformation of information within a flight deck for a specific phase of flight. By using a joint cognitive systems approach both retrospective and prospective investigation of cockpit challenges will be better understood.

Abbreviations: ATC: air traffic control; ATCO: air traffic controller; ATM: air traffic management; CSE: cognitive systems engineering; DSA: distributed situation awareness; FMS: flight management system; FMV: FRAM model visualize; FRAM: functional resonance analysis method; GF: generalised function; GW: gross weight; HFACS: human factors analysis and classification system; JCS: joint cognitive systems; PF: pilot flying; PNF: pilot not flying; SA: situation awareness; SME: subject matter expert; STAMP: systems theoretic accident model and processes; VBA: visual basic for applications; WAD: work-as-done; WAI: work-as-imagined; ZFW: zero fuel weight     

Land use dynamics in the semi-arid region of Brazil (Quixaba,PE): Characterization by principal component analysis (PCA)

The changes caused by the pressure of human occupation can be observed by non-sustainable land use forms, in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The multitemporal analysis of changes in the caatinga land cover provides sufficient information about the dynamics of this typical land use. Within this frame, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied in combination with field survey data, which permitted estimation of point samples of new recovery/degradation. The area selected for this study is located in the central-southern semi-arid section of Pernambuco State, north-east Brazil. It covers an area of about 190 km 2 and is located between geographical coordinates 8° 00' to 8° 07' S and 39° 45' to 39° 53' W. Five classes of changed and unchanged multitemporal effects were discriminated. The results of this study were evaluated using combined Geographical Information System (GIS) and field survey techniques. This work was less time-consuming and economically significant for the time period 1983-96. An alternative PCA method was proposed based on the analysis of the results and errors in a confusion matrix. This alternative method is based on the controlled rotative analogy of the PCA transformation, where a smaller angle of rotation was applied.     

Getting it from the Web: why and how online resources are used by independent undergraduate learners

Abstract Undergraduate students access the Internet for a range of purposes, many unrelated to their studies. Increasingly, learners are using the Internet to find information and resources for coursework, whether or not this is promoted or endorsed by their teachers. This article reports an interview study that investigated why and how independent learners use Web‐based resources, exploring not only the academic context of the courses studied, but also any relevant personal, domestic and employment‐related circumstances. Factors were identified, which enhanced or competed with study activities, acting as incentives or disincentives for learners. The findings suggest that it is not technologies per se, but a combination of various contextual factors, that determine students' use of Web resources for learning. Of the academic factors that emerged from the interviews, assessment requirements and pedagogic approach were particularly important.     

Viewing personal history records: A comparison of tabular format and graphical presentation using LifeLines

Thirty-six participants used a static version of either LifeLines, a graphical interface, or a tabular representation to answer questions about a database of temporal personal history information. Results suggest that overall the LifeLines representation led to much faster response times, primarily for questions which involved interval comparisons and making intercategorical connections. A 'first impression' test showed that LifeLines can reduce some of the biases of the tabular record summary. A post-experimental memory test led to significantly (p< 0.004) higher recall for LifeLines. Finally, simple interaction techniques are proposed to compensate for the problems of the static LifeLines display's ability to deal with precise dates, attribute coding and overlaps.     

User participation in context: a case study in a UK bank

Abstract

This paper describes a case study of user-participation focusing on the introduction of a new computer-based system in a large UK bank. We use Wall and Lischeron's (1977) characterization of participation as consisting of three interrelated elements (i.e., interaction, information, and influence) and Gowler and Legge's (1978) contextual interpretation exploring user participation as a ‘dependent’ rather than an ‘independent’ variable. The study examines the process of participation using a range of research methods. We argue that user participation in systems development can only be properly understood through consideration of the nature of the organizational context (e.g., structures and processes), the system and its users, and by analysis of the interactions between these elements.     

Content Analysis of Web Privacy Policies in the GCC Countries

Abstract

Privacy has long been defined as the right of a person to be left alone and to be able to have control over the flow and disclosure of information about him- or herself (Warren and Brandeis, 1890). Worries about privacy are not new, although businesses have gathered information about their customers for years. However, privacy issues often come about because of new information technologies that have improved the collection, storage, use, and sharing of personal information.     

Back pain and exposure to whole body vibration in helicopter pilots

Abstract

In a questionnaire survey the prevalence of back pain in 163 helicopter pilots was compared to that in a control group of 297 non-flying air force officers who underwent the same pre-employment medical examination. Since pilots document their hours of flight in a personal flight log, an accurate estimate of the duration of exposure could be made. In addition, vibration levels of the helicopters were measured and an accumulative vibration dose was calculated for each pilot. 'Transient' back pain of a short duration was more frequent amongst the pilots compared to the control group, and the prevalence of 'chronic' back pain of a persistent nature was also higher amongst the helicopter pilots. Transient back pain seemed to be most strongly related to the average hours of flight per day, whereas chronic back pain was more closely related to total hours of flight or the accumulative vibration dose. A significant higher prevalence of this chronic back pain was observed only after 2000 hours of flight or a vibration dose of 400 m^h/s. The observed health effects may be due to vibration or constrained posture but are most likely due to concomitant exposure to both factors.     

Data Protection and the Commerce Clause

Abstract

Congress and the courts have had to address an inevitable result of the new technology — the erosion of personal privacy. While our economy depends on the free flow of information, the individual's right to maintain privacy, personal dignity, and anonymity must be maintained. Courts have long recognized that the law must protect private matters and personal data against governmental and business intrusion.